Fandom Island Museum, Tuesday Daytime

[hasaknightjob]

Steven made it to work on time, which he hoped was the first of what might be many bits of good fortune to the day.

In the meanwhile he was busy texting Layla to ask her about the weekend and about getting paperwork for Llewellyn. Which wasn't work related at all but it kept him busy while waiting to see if there were any visitors.

[open]

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

What do you mean, 'if', narrative?

Of course there would be at least one visitor today. Though admittedly he wasn't here for museum attractions so much as a particular attractive museum employee.

"Hello, you," he greeted, takeout bag in hand. "Lunch has arrived."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven put his glasses and phone away so he could properly smile up at Llewellyn. "Hello, you. I did order a handsome delivery man, so well done."

[pocketpretzels]

"Very cute." Did he mean the comment, or Steven himself? Either way, he followed it up with leaning across the counter to give Steven a quick peck on the cheek. Yes, in the museum lobby where anyone who might wander in could see. How very daring.

[hasaknightjob]

It was daring and Steven was quite appreciative, even if he held back on reciprocating just in case the one act had been as far as Llewellyn wanted to go.

Steven put out the sign saying he was taking lunch and came around the counter. "Our usual spot then?"

[pocketpretzels]

“Of course,” Watts confirmed, depositing his hat (still with the flamingo feather, though it was looking a bit worse for wear at this point) on one corner of that sign and offering Steven his free arm.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven didn't comment on the state of the feather because he didn't want Llewellyn to feel self-conscious about it. He did take the proffered arm, however.

"You've perfect timing," Steven said, as though Llewellyn might have shown up at some other point in the day with lunch. "Layla says she needs photos of you."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts shot Steven a puzzled frown as they continued their walk to their usual lunch spot. “I thought you had sent her some already?”

Which, yes, but none of those were exactly appropriate for legal documentation.

[hasaknightjob]

"For your paperwork," Steven explained. "You'll need to be more serious for those, I'm afraid."

[pocketpretzels]

“Oh,” Watts said, looking somewhat sheepish. “I didn’t realise. I suppose we can take some once we’re sat down?” he asked.

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie had ended up taking a little walk to make sure she got all the pumpkin pulp off her shoes after leaving Wanda, and had found herself down by the museum -- she'd passed it many times on her morning runs, but had never actually stopped in.

It was weird how much of Fandom she still hadn't explored, in spite of how long she'd been here now. Probably kind of one of those products of living in New York part time for the past year.

She ducked in quietly, offering out a quick, "Hey!" and a wave to Steven to be polite. (She didn't spend, like, a ton of time in museums. She didn't want to risk this being a library situation and and a potential shushing coming her way if she offered more than a greeting to start.)

[hasaknightjob]

It was not a library situation, which was evidenced by Steven smiling and waving rather than shushing her. "Hello. Welcome. How can I help you?"

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Hi!" Whew, no shushings. A relief! "Um, not really? I mean, I don't need anything particularly, I've just somehow never wandered in here before. I clearly need to get down to this end of the island more often."

Usually it was just in the name of exercise-slash-quietly resenting Captain America when he passed her. Or if she needed to visit one of her friends in their warehouses (a normal thing, of course.)

[hasaknightjob]

"That's all right," Steven said. "We're a bit of a hidden gem down here, aren't we? Well you've not seen enough to know about the gem part, have you? But the exhibits are nice. Not just saying that because I work here. I'm Steven Grant, by the way. With a V."

He tapped his handy name tag to show he meant the spelling of his first name.

[defenderofdesmoines]

With a V got a very slight eyebrow-raise for Annie -- credit the universe that had taught her to be wary of any and all variations on things with a V -- but that didn't last long at all, given how religiously Annie listened to radio.

"Annie January," she replied, thrusting out a hand to shake with a bright smile. "It's nice to meet you, Steven. You've got one of those names I hear a lot on the radio." Partly because it was often paired with the name of one of her bar regulars. "Helps that you're not another Steve."

[hasaknightjob]

"A Steven, yes," he said, putting slight emphasis on the n to show he understood what she meant. He happily shook her hand, especially now that he knew who she was. "Annie, Llewellyn's friend from the pub? He speaks highly of you."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I always follow his lead and call him Mr. Watts," Annie noted, both unaware that he would likely prefer to be addressed as Detective (but at least she tried!) and carefully listening to how Steven said Watts' given name in case she was ever invited to use it. "But yeah! I bartend at the Nest on Thursdays -- he's one of my regulars. Great sport about trying new drinks, I might add."

[hasaknightjob]

"He's been keen on trying new experiences," Steven agreed. "Oh! I should say congratulations as well, shouldn't I? Big day coming up for you. Getting married, I mean."

[mylandmyrules]

Nell stopped in to try and see the only friend she hadn't managed to check in with since her return. "Steven?"

[hasaknightjob]

Steven looked up and then did a double take on seeing her. "Nell! Sorry. There's knowing you look different and seeing it in person. Hello! Come in! You're looking better as well, I see."

After all, the shared memories Marc had of Nell from the weekend involved noticeable bruises.

[mylandmyrules]

"It's good to see you," Nell said. "I can't tell you how much I missed all of you."

She put a hand up to her face a little self-consciously. "Lana took care of the bruises for me."

[hasaknightjob]

"Handy, that," Steven said. Normally in these sorts of circumstances he would offer a hug to say welcome. But Marc had warned him that Nell was skittish so Steven erred on the side of giving her personal space. "Come in, come in. You're not interrupting anything. Only working on plans for the weekend."

[mylandmyrules]

Nell smiled at him as she came further in. "And what are you doing this weekend?" she asked.

[hasaknightjob]

"It's Visitors Weekend," Steven said, because he was still skipping right past that word "parent." "We're hoping Layla will be able to make a go of it. Er, not sure if you remember her after all this time?Friend of Marc and mine. She and Marc were together until a few months back."

[mylandmyrules]

Right. Parent's Weekend. Not that Nell had ever had any visitors or anticipated any showing up ever. Which right now was just fine.

Nell tried to remember. "I'm sorry. I don't remember. I do think I remember you saying Marc had been with someone before you came here, but I'm afraid I didn't remember her name. I'm sure it will be nice to see her. Is he looking forward to her coming?"

[hasaknightjob]

"He is," Steven said. The truth was Marc had a great deal of mixed feelings about it but given that Nell barely remembered who they were talking about it didn't seem worth getting into that level of detail. Especially since it involved things Marc wasn't fully comfortable with sharing. "She's a good friend to us both. Happy to introduce you to her if you'd like. Not - I mean you don't have to. No expectations. We must be like strangers to you now I imagine."